Elevator signal system.



No. 668,438. Patehted Feb. I9, I90I.

M. H. COLLOM. ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM. ("0 nodal.) (Application filed Apr9, 1900.) 3 sheetssheet I.

x G 5% m P WITNESSES [N VEN TOR.

49m Aria/ E).

mm 1 m1 .0 e F d e t n e l a P M 0 L L 0 C H M 8 3 8 6 6 0 N ELEVATORSIGNAL SYSTEM.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1900) (In IodaH 3 S|leeis-$heef 27 w iz fiwj% ATTORNEY W/TNESSES m: rionmi PEYERS c0. wow-Luau, WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 668,438. Paten ted Feb. is, mm. M. H. COLLOM.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 sham-sneer 3.

Z;oveniz'or";

mcTcN, 0. cv

"m: NORRIS PETERS 00,140

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

MARTIN H. COLLOM, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,438, dated February19, 1901.

Application filed April 9, 1900. Serial No. 12,179. (No model.)

To all whom, H/ may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN H. OOLLOM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElevatorSignal Systems; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in elevator-car signal systems; andthe object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliable signalsystem'by which a number of elevators can be signaled from onecall-station on each floor. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is anelevation of the electrical apparatus of one of the call boxes orstations of my system. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side ofthe supporting-block of Fig. l and of the side B of the block of Fig.9,showing a plan view of the bell-contacts and of the other parts of themechanism as are placed on this side of the supporting-block. Fig. 3 isan elevation of the cover of the box, showing the Up and Downbell'signal call-buttons. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectionalview of the cut-out switch. Fig. 5 is an elevation of Fig. 4 in thedirection of the arrow C. Fig. 6 is a fragment of the supporting-block,showing the bell make-and-break contacts. Fig. 7 is a fragment of theswitch, showing one of the make-and-break contacts in side elevation.Fig. 8 is an elevation of the switch, showing but two contact-pieces;and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of an elevator entrance-door anddoor-jamb and also a side side elevation of Fig. 1 showing a sectionthrough the supporting block on the irregular line Aand also showing asection through a surrounding casing and its cover, showing a sideelevation of the bell and signal mechanism, showing the application ofmy call and signal system.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a box. A cover 2 issecured to the box by screws 3. Oleats 4 project inward from the ends ofthe box, upon which a supporting block 5 is removably secured by screws6. This block is made of any suitable non-conductive material,preferably slate. Upon the top side of the block I place two conductiveterminal-strips 7 and 8, securing them by screw bolts 9, which passfreely through the slate and have a nut 10 threaded to their ends. Wirebinding'bolts 11 and 12, which are provided with nuts 12 and 11 arebolted through each strip and the slate. I also secure by bolts 13 andnuts 14 one end of conductive resilient cont-act terminal-strips l5 and1b to the slate block in line with the strips 7 and 8 and bend one endin a 2 form, so that their free ends will stand normally over and ata-slight distance above the contacts 7 and 8. Wire binding-bolts l7 and18, which are secured in place by nuts 19 and 20, are also passedthrough the fixed end of each of these stripsand the slate block. Aconductive wire 21 extends from the bolts 17 to the bolt 18 and from itthrough a hole 21 in the slate to an electric bell 22, which isconveniently located in an elevator-Way. A wire 23 also extends from thebinding-bolt 11 to the binding-bolt 12 and from it through the hole 21to a battery 24:, to which it is electrically connected, and from thebattery a wire 25 extends to the bell 22, thus forming a current-circuitfrom the battery through the wires and bell to each set ofterminal-contacts, which are normally out of contact with each other,and consequently the bell-circuit is normally open.

In the center of the cover 2 of the box 1 are two projecting lugs 2?,between which I pivot disk and the ends of the lever there arenonconductive pins 31 and 32, which tit loosely in holes in the cover.These pins are long enough to extend from the ends of the lever to thecontact-terminals l5 and 16, so that the lever and its push-button diskswill stand at substantially equal distances from the contact-terminalsand in a vertical plane.

When it is desired to call an elevator to go up, the Up push-button ispressed, which forces the pin 5'1 against the terminal and forces itdown against the terminal 7, as shown in Fig. 7, and closes thebell-circuit and rings the bell \Vhen the push-button is released, theresilient tension of the terminal causes it to spring back again to itsnormal position, which breaks the circuit and moves the pin andpush-button back to its normal position. The Down push-button closes thebell-circuit through the terminals 16 and S in a similar manner andrings the bell.

To the lower end of the depending portion 28 a spring-blade 33 issecured at one end. This blade passes through a hole 84in the slateblock, and at its opposite end a non-conductive block 35 is secured. Atone side of the slate block a yoke-shaped clip 35 is secured by screws36 and 37, which pass through the slate block and screw into a strip 38on its opposite side. To each of the upward-ex.- tending ends of thisclip I secure conductive springs 39 and 40. The springs extend one oneach side of the block 35 and each spring supports opposite the block anarmature 41 and 42. Opposite the spring 41 two magnetic coils 43 and 44are placed. The cores 45 and 46 of the magnets extend beyond the coilsand close to the armature. Two magnets 4b and 47 are also placedopposite the armature 42. The cones 4S and 49 of these magnets alsoproject close to the armature The magnet-sets are supported and securedto the slate block by the conductive angled bars 50 and 51, which areattached to their cores by screws 52, 53, 54, and and to the slate bythebolts 55 and nuts 56. The angled bars are placed at the opposite ends ofthe magnets from the armature. The ends of the magnet-coils areconnected to the binding-screws 59 and 60, which screw into theconductive angle-bars 50 and 51. The wire is then coiled around thecores 44 and 47 and continues across through the portion iii and 62 tothe core 45 and 48, from which they extend to the binding-screws 61 and62, which extend through the slate block. A nut 63 is secured to each ofthe binding-screws.

111 Fig. 9 I illustrate a fragment of an elevator-shaftinclosure door 91and door-jamb 92, latch 75, and lock 94, showing the application of mysignal system to it. The doorswitches are screwed into a flat bar 78,which is secured by bolts 96 to the back of the doorlock, which isgenerally cast with the doorjamb. These switches comprise a tube 76,(see Fig. 4,) having a threaded portion 77, adapted to secure it to theplate 78 or other suitable support. A non-conductive disk 79 is fittedon one end against a shoulder 80, and a nut 81 is threaded to the endand secures the disk to the end of the tube. The bore of the tubecontains two diameters, the smaller one being at the disk end in thetube. A nonconductive push-pin 8:2 is slidably fitted and is made in twodiameters to lit the diameters of the tube. The smaller diameter isextended throughout the greater portion of the length of the tube toallow a space around it and between it and the tube for a coiledexpansion-spring 83, the ends of which bear against the shoulder formedby the two diameters of the tube and pin. The push-pin projects beyondthe threaded portion of the tube and has secured to its opposite end anon-conducting washer 84 and a conducting round knob 85 by a screw 86,which threads into the end of the stem. The spring normally holds thewasher and knob against the end and nut of the tube. Upon the top of thedisk I secure contact-terminals, placing three terminals on each switch,where only one elevator is to be used, and two switches, as shown inFig. 9, where a group of elevators is under the control of one system.

lVhere two switches are placed in a system at each elevator-door, thelower one is provided with only two contact-terminals, as shown in Figs.8 and 9, and the upper one has three contact-terminals, as shown inFigs. 5 and 9. The three contact-terminals are composed of resilientconductive material. They are spaced at equidistances apart around thedisk and stand vertically alongside the knob. The terminal 87 ispositioned to bear against the knob throughout the length of thereciprocative push-stroke of the pin in the tube. The terminal 88 is ashort terminal and is only long enough to extend to and bear on the knobwhen it is in its normal position against the end of thetube. Theterminal 89 is of the same length of terminal 87, but stands away fromthe knob, exceptatits free end, which is bent to bear against it when itis pushed out to the limit of its push-stroke. Consequently when theknob is in its normal position a current would flow through the terminal87, the knob, and its short terminal 88, and when it is pushed outone-half of its stroke, as indicated by the dotted lines, the circuitthrough the knob would be open, and when it is pushed out its wholestroke a closed circuit would be formed through 87, the knob, and 89.For the switch below the latch only two terminals 90 and )1 are used.These are positioned on opposite sides of the knob and extend up besideit, but are placed a short distance from it to near their free ends,which are bent inward to be engaged by the knob at the end of itspush-stroke, and at this point a circuit would be made through theterminals and knob, but with theknob in its normal positionthat is, whenthe door is closed it would be out of contact with the terminals and thecircuit between the terminals would be open.

The wires 68, 71, and 72 extend from one pole of the dynamo to thebinding-screws 69, which are electrically connected by the conductivestrip 38 and screws 36 to the armatures and to the straight terminal 87of the upper switch and to the terminal 90 of the lower switch. Theopposite pole-wire 98 extends to the same side of the white and bluelamps 66 and 67 and to the red light 100 from the terminal 89 of theupper switch, and from the terminal 91 of the lower switch wires 8E) and91 run to the opposite side 98 of the white and blue electricsignal-lights 66 and 67 and connect with the wires 64 and 65, that runto the binding-screw 61 and 62, that connects with the magnet-coils. Awire 101 also extends from the short contact 88 of the upper switch tothe opposite side of the red light 100.

102 designates the edge of the door, which strikes the buffer 110 justabove and below the latch 75. Aspace 103 is made in the door, acrosswhich bars 104 and 105 extend. Through these bars and the edge of thedoor I extend push-rods 106 and 106 to the outer end of which disks 107and 107 are secured, and at the opposite end handles 108 and 109 areformed, which enables the elevator-pilot to press the rods against theirstops 104 and These push-rods engage the ends of the push-pins of theswitch. The disk of the pushrod is held back against the edge of thedoor by the pressure of the spring of the switch push-pins. When thedoor is opened, however, the push-pin of the switch moves back intoposition, with its knob in contact with the terminal 88, which closesthe circuit to the red light, which burns until the door is shut. InFig. 9, however, the door pushrod is shown pushed up against itsstop-bar and the switch-push-pin knob is in contact with the twoterminals, which closes the circuit to the blue light.

The operation of the system is as follows: WVhen the buttons arepressed, a circuit to the signal-lamps is closed by the magnet-armaturesbeing forced to the cores of said magnets. Said armatures are held inthis position by magnetic attraction until the circuit through thedoor-switches is closed. The magnets will then be weakened and thearmatures released, as a greater part of the current will flow to thelamps through the path of less resistance. When the Up button ispressed, the bell-circuit is closed through the contact-strips, the bellrings, and the blue lamp or lamps are lighted. The elevatorpilot to putout this lamp places his fingers on'the push-rod in the door to closethe door. This pin passes through the edge of the door and forces theknob of the Up switch between its contact-springs, thus closing thecircuit through the switch to the bluelamp or lamps.

When the pilot takes his fingers off the door push-rod, the spring ofthe switch forces the knob back to its normal position and the circuitto the blue lamp is broken. \Vhen the Down button is pressed, the bellrings and the white lamp or lamps are lighted, and if the pilot wishesto put this signal-lamp out he closes the door with the Down pushrod,which closes the circuit to the white light, and when he takes hisfingers off the push-rod this circuit is broken, as described. lotcloses the door and does not use the pushrods, he does not put out thewhite and blue lamps that may be lighted. This is often the case when hemay have opened the door to let out a passenger and he does not wish toput out the lamps that are lighted in the other elevator-shafts.

My invention is simple both as to the mechanism and as to the wiring.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an elevatorsignal system for elevator-doors andelevator-ways, of two pairs of magnets, two independent armatures inoperative relation to said magnets conductively connected together atone end, a conductive wire connected to said armatures, and a source ofelectric-current supply, conductive wires connected to each pair of saidmagnets and to said source of ourrent-supply, one or more electriclights in each conductive wire and push-pin switches comprising apush-pin, spring-controlled in one direction of its movement, terminalsin operative relation to said push-pin to make or break a circuit,conductive wires operatively connected to said terminals and to saidlights and to said current-supply, push-rods connected with said doorsand arranged to be normally operated to engage said push-pin of saidswitches and close the circuit through them, whereby the current fromsaid source of current-supply is shunted from said magnets to saidswitches and through said lamps back to said source of current-supplyand said closed circuit between said magnets and said armatures isbroken, substantially as described.

2. The combination of an elevator signal system with an elevator-doorand door-jambs on each floor of the system, push-rods in said doors, pushpin switches secured to said doorjam b in line with said push-rods,and arranged to stand normally in open circuit, a source ofcurrent-supply, conductive wires connecting said current-supply with theterminals of said switches, and a light or lights of some predeterminedcolor in circuit with one of said switches, lights of two colors incircuit with the other switch,one of said lights adapted to indicatewhen said door is open, substantially as described. 0

3. The combination in an elevator signal system for elevator-doors andelevator-ways, ofasignal-box, a rocking Up and Down If the pisignalpush-button lever on said box, a bell signal system operativelyconnected to said pushbutton lever, two pairs of magnets arranged insaid signal-box with their cores opposite each other, two independentarmatures in operative relation to said magnets conductively connectedtogether at one end, a resilient extension on said rocking push-buttonlever projecting between said magnet-cores and arranged to move saidarmatures against its respective set of magnets as the push-buttons ofsaid rocking levers are operated, a conductive wire connecting to saidarmatures, a source of electric-current supply, a conductive wireconnected to each independent set of said magnets and to said source ofcurrent-supply, and one or more electric lights in each of saidcircuits, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an elevator signal system for elevator-doors andelevator-ways, ofasignal-box, a rocking, Upand Down signal push-buttonlever on said box, a bell signal system operatively connected to saidpushbutton lever, two pairs of magnets arranged in said signal-box withpoles opposite each other, two independent armatures in operativerelation to said magnets conductively connected together at one end, aresilient extension on said rocking push-button lever projecting betweensaid magnet-armatures and arranged to move said armatures against itsrespective set of magnets as the push-buttons of said rocking levers areoperated, a conductive wire connected to said armatures, and a source ofelectric-current supply, conductive wires connected to each pair of saidmagnets and to said source of current-supply, one or more electriclights in each conductive wire, and push-pin switches com prising apush-pin spring-controlled in one direction of its movement, terminalsin operative relation to said push-pin to make or break a circuit,conductive wires operatively connected to said terminals and to saidlights and to said current-supply, push-rods connected with said doorsand arranged to be normally operated to engage said push-pin of saidswitches and close the circuit through them, whereby the current fromsaid source of current-supply is shunted from said magnets to saidswitches and back to said source of current-supply and said closedcircuit between said magnets and said armatures is broken, substantiallyas described.

5. The combination in an elevator signal system of an elevator-door andjambs on each floor of the system, a latch and keeper on each door, apush-rod both above and below said latch, push-pin switches secured tosaid jamb in line with said push-rods and arranged to stand normallywith an open circuit, a signalbox for each floor of said system, apush-button signal mechanism in said boX comprising a rocking lever, asignal-bell system arranged to be operated by pushing said button totilt said lever, and an Up and Down floor-signal comprising two pairs ofmagnets oppositelyarranged armatu res arranged in operative relation tosaid magnets to normally maintain an open circuit between them, meansconnected to said rocking push-button lever for forcibly moving saidarmatures against said magnets in alternate order, a source ofourrent-supply,conductive wires connecting said current-supply with saidarmatnres and said magnets, an electric light of some predeterminedcolor in one of said magnet-circuits, a second electric light of anothercolor in the circuit of said opposite setof magnets, acouductive wireleading from said current-supply to said push-pin switch and from saidswitch to each of said electric lights, substantially as described.

6. The combination in an elevator signal system, of the signal-box, therocking lever, a push-button at each end of said rockinglever, thebell-terminals having one contact member of each terminal of resilientmaterial and arranged above the other and adapted to be sprung incontact with it by pushing one of said push-buttons, the battery and thebell-circuit wires connected to said terminals, the magnets, themagnet-armatures arranged in operative relation to said magnets and theresilient member on said rocking lever arranged and adapted to move saidmagnet-armatures in contact with said magnets, with the push-buttonswitches, the dynamo, positive wires leading from said dynamo to saidswitches and from said switches to said magnet-armatures, a conductivewire leading from each set of magnets to the negative pole of saiddynamo; the electric lights in each of the wires leading from each setof magnets to said negative pole of said dynamo, the shunt-wires leadingfrom said negative pole of said dynamo to one of the terminals of saidswitches, and the wire leading from said pinswitches to the electriclights in the negative wire of said magnets and dynamo, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an elevator signal system, the combination with the elevator-doorsand (loor-jambs of the signal-box, the push-button lever, the twoindependent sets of magnets, the magnetarmatures and the bell signalterminal therein arranged to be operated by said push-button lever, withthe push-pin switches comprising the tube, the pin within said tube, thespring between said pin and tube, the non-conductive disk secured tosaid tube, the conductive knob in the end of said pin, the

,two conductive terminals on said disk arranged in operative relation tosaid conductive knob to make a closed or open circuit, the dynamo,positive wires leading from said dynamo to said switches and to saidmagnetarmatures, a conductive wire leading from each set of magnets insaid signal-box to the negative pole of said dynamo, an electric lightof some predetermined color in each of the wires leading from each setof magnets negative wire and an electric light in said 10 to saidnegative pole of said dynamo, and the wire adapted to indicate when saidelevatorshunt-wires leading from said positive pole of door is open,substantially as described. said dynamo to one of the terminals of saidIn testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 switches and the Wiresleading'from another in presence of two witnesses.

terminal of said switches to said electric lights MARTIN H. COLLOM. inthe negative wire of said dynamo and mag- Witnesses: nets,the thirdterminal on one of said switches, CLAUDE A. DUNN, the wire leading fromsaid terminal to said BESSIE THOMPSON.

